FIG. 1 depicts a side view of portion of a conventional energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive 10. The conventional EAMR disk drive 10 includes a recording media 12, a conventional slider 20, and a conventional laser diode 30 that are typically attached to a suspension (not shown). The conventional slider 20 has a leading edge 22, a trailing edge 26, and a back side 24. Although termed “edges”, the leading edge 22 and trailing edge 26 are surfaces of the slider 20. The leading edge 22 and trailing edge 26 are so termed because of the direction the conventional media 12 travels with respect to the EAMR transducer 28. Other components that may be part of the conventional EAMR disk drive 10 are not shown. The conventional slider 20 is typically attached to the suspension at its back side 24. A conventional EAMR transducer 22 is coupled with the slider 20.
The laser diode 30 is coupled in proximity to the EAMR transducer 22 on the trailing edge 26 of the slider 20. Light from the conventional laser diode 30 is provided substantially along the optic axis 32 of the conventional laser diode 30 to the trailing edge 26 of the slider 20. More specifically, light from the laser diode 30 is provided to a grating (not shown) of conventional EAMR transducer 22. The light from the laser diode 30 coupled into the grating is then provided to a waveguide (not shown). The waveguide directs the light toward the conventional media 12, heating a small region of the conventional media 12. The conventional EAMR transducer 22 magnetically writes to the conventional media 12 in the region the conventional media 12 is heated.
FIG. 2 depicts a conventional method 50 for fabricating a portion of the conventional EAMR disk drive 10. For simplicity, only a portion of the method 50 is described. The EA conventional MR transducer 28 is fabricated on the front side of a conventional substrate, such as an AlTiC substrate, via step 52. Typically, a reader for the conventional disk drive 10 has already been fabricated. Thus, the conventional EAMR transducer 28 is built on other structures. Typically, multiple transducers are fabricated in parallel on the same substrate.
Once fabrication of the conventional EAMR transducer 28 is completed, the laser diode 30 may be mounted in proximity to the conventional EAMR transducer 28, via step 54. More specifically, the laser diode 30 is mounted in proximity to the trailing surface 26 of the slider 20. The EAMR heads may then be separated, via step 56. For example, the substrate holding the EAMR transducers 28 may be cleaved or otherwise cut into individual sliders 20. The front side of the substrate, on which the EAMR transducer 28 is fabricated, becomes the trailing edge 26 of the slider 20. In other embodiments, the EAMR heads are separated prior to the laser diode 30 being mounted. However, in both cases, the laser diode is mounted in proximity to the EAMR transducer 26 and, therefore, in proximity to the trailing edge 26. The fabrication of the conventional drive 10 may then be completed. For example, the conventional EAMR head including the conventional slider 20 and conventional EAMR transducer 28 may be mounted on a flexure and then in a disk drive.
Although the conventional EAMR disk drive 10 and method 50 may function, improvements are desired. More specifically, coupling the laser 30 to the trailing edge 26 of the slider 20 is problematic. The laser 30 would occupy a larger portion of the trailing edge 26. This space is normally reserved for items such as contacts to the transducer 28. Although smaller lasers 30 might be used, such lasers are typically less reliable. Consequently, reducing the size of the laser 30 may adversely affect reliability of the conventional EAMR disk drive 10.
Accordingly, what is needed are improved methods and systems for fabricating EAMR disk drives, including coupling the laser with the EAMR transducer and assembling the slider, the laser, and the flexure (not shown) are desired.